Compositions containing prenylated flavones are well known. According to prior art a great number of health effects are attributed to prenylated flavones and in particular to flavones with an isoprenyl substituted in the 8 position. Examples of references wherein these compounds and the health effects can be found are EP 667 289 wherein a number of humulones isolated from hop extracts are disclosed in relation to benefits in the bone/osteoporosis area. From Planta Med, 64 (1998) p.516-9 and p.511-5 it is known that 8-prenylnaringenin has beneficial bone effects. This compound is isolated from the heartwood of Anaxag Luzon. It is emphasized herein that in particular the position of the isoprenyl group in the flavone (i.e. the 8 position gives the best results) has a big impact on the performance of the compound. Another well-known effect of the 8-prenyl flavones is their estrogenic activity. (cf: Tekel in J. of Agr and Food Chem 47, 1999, p. 5059-5063). Other effects of these flavones mentioned in the prior art are effects on arthritis or skin (JP 04202138), antibacterial effects (GB 2 330 076), antidiabetic activity (JP 83009084); anti cancer activity (Food and Chem Toxicology 37, 1999, p.271-285) and an activity on lipid metabolism (J of the Amer Soc of Brewing Chem 56, 1998, p.136-145). According to JP 11 246 387 (publication number) hop-extracts have elastase inhibiting activity and can be used to keep the skin taut and elastic. The extracts can be used in cosmetics and in bath liquids. The actual composition of the hop extracts is not given, therefore it remains uncertain what components will be present in the extract. This could be a wide variety of components depending on the exact conditions applied during the extraction.
Anti-inflammatory effects of prenylated flavones, such as Kuwanon C are disclosed in Chem. and Pharm. Bull. (Tokyo) 34, 1986, p. 1223-1227 and more generic in WO 00/33824, however no relation is disclosed between these effects and the presence of 8-prenylnaringenin or other 8-prenylated flavones.
We studied whether the 8-prenyl flavones (also indicated as flavonoids) still had other useful benefits and we found that these compounds indeed have another beneficial activity i.e. they are very useful as anti-inflammatory agents and as agents with skin benefits, in particular for promoting collagen-I and decorin synthesis. They thus can be used to treat/to prevent or to cure inflammatory diseases or skin disorders in mammals. Although anti-inflammatory and skin promoting agents are well known it was not known that the 8-prenyl flavones also possessed very high anti inflammatory or skin promoting activity. Skin promoting activity being defined as the ability of up-regulation of procollagen and decorin synthesis or of analogues thereof. This finding therefore extends the choice in the agents that can be used to treat/to prevent or to cure inflammatory diseases or skin disorders significantly. It is important to have the broadest choice possible in agents with a health effect because this will enable the consumer to use the agent that suits him/her best, moreover the prenylated compounds that can be used according to our invention are natural compounds, contrary to many of the known agents. We prefer to apply for our aims 8-prenylated flavones that are derived from hop and that are present in hop extracts in relatively large amounts.
We found that the most beneficial effects were achieved by applying 8-prenylnaringenin.
The prenylated flavones that can be used according to the invention can be applied in different ways. A very convenient way to apply these components for our purposes is to incorporate the flavone in a food product and to administer the food product to the person in need of these flavones. We found that these compounds can be incorporated into food products without destroying the product performance of the food product. Examples of food products that can be made with our flavones are spreads, creams, sauces, ice creams, mayonnaise""s, dressings, confectionery products, fillings, bars, coatings, cereals, drinks. Apart from using a food wherein the flavones are incorporated we found that it also possible to use food supplements and to encapsulate the active ingredient (=flavones) in an encapsulating material. This material must of course be food acceptable. Suitable materials can be selected from the group consisting of sugars, polycarbohydrates, flour, starches, modified starches, gelatin, gums, pectin.
The amount of prenylated flavone that must be provided to the user can vary widely over a big range. However very suitable is that these flavones can be supplied to the consumer in amounts corresponding with the Recommended Daily Amount (=RDA) via 1 to 5 servings (food or supplement) per day.
Very useful amounts wherein the flavones are supplied to the customer range from 0.5 xcexcg to 200 mg per serving of product.
According to another embodiment of our invention our invention also concerns with food products wherein the prenylated flavones are incorporated. These food products can contain all conventional ingredients for a food composition such as water fat, flour, polycarbohydrates, starches, modified starches. The prenylated flavones are present in our food products in amounts of 0.5 xcexcg to 200 mg per product.
Examples of food products that can be made in accordance with our invention are products selected from the group consisting of spreads, creams, sauces, ice creams, mayonnaise""s, dressings, confectionery products, fillings, bars, coatings cereals, drinks.
In addition to the components mentioned above the food product can also contain micronutrients. Useful micronutrients can be selected from the group consisting of vitamins A, B, C, E, K, minerals, folic acid, magnesium, iron, copper, zinc and conjugated fatty acids, such as CLA.
According to a last embodiment our invention concerns a method for treating/preventing/curing of inflammatory diseases or obtaining skin benefits in mammals as set out above by administering to the mammal an effective amount of one or more flavones with an prenyl group substituted in the 8 position. The effective amount suitably corresponds with the RDA that can be served by serving the mammal 1 to 5 portions of food per day.